Design & build in West Hampstead
MVV is a design and build contractor working on homes across West Hampstead and NW6. We deliver loft conversions, rear extensions and full refurbishments with one team handling both design and construction, so the process is clear and accountable from the first visit. West Hampstead is a lively, well-connected neighbourhood of red-brick Victorian and Edwardian houses and mansion flats, many of them converted into flats over the years. It is a place where families and professionals look to make more of the space they have, and that is exactly the kind of work we do.
West Hampstead homes and what they need
Much of West Hampstead was built in the late Victorian and Edwardian period, with long streets of red-brick terraced and semi-detached houses and substantial mansion blocks. A large share of these houses have since been converted into flats, while others remain family homes.
The typical needs are familiar: a larger kitchen that opens to the garden, an extra bedroom or bathroom in the roof, better storage and improved heating and insulation. For converted flats, the task is often to make a smaller footprint work harder through clever layouts and joinery.
Planning in NW6
West Hampstead lies within the London Borough of Camden, and parts of it are designated conservation areas. Houses outside conservation areas may be able to use permitted development rights for rear extensions and loft conversions, while properties inside them, and all flats, usually need planning permission for external changes.
Most projects on terraces and semi-detached houses also involve the Party Wall Act. We check your property's planning position at the start and handle party wall matters as part of the programme.
The projects we take on
Our most common projects in an area like West Hampstead are rear dormer and hip-to-gable loft conversions, single-storey rear and side return extensions, and full refurbishments of houses and flats. Kitchens, bathrooms and bespoke joinery often form part of the same project.
Because many NW6 homes share walls with neighbours on both sides, we plan the structural work, noise and logistics carefully and keep neighbours informed throughout.
Nearby work in Hampstead and Belsize Park
Close by, we designed and built a 150 square metre apartment in Hampstead with open-plan living, a bespoke kitchen and mood lighting throughout, and in Belsize Park we refurbished a two-bedroom, two-bathroom flat with new bathrooms, upgraded electrics and plumbing, new flooring and a redesigned kitchen, delivered in three months.
The MVV approach
MVV is a team of 35 designers, builders and project managers based in Chiswick. We take your project from brief and design through approvals to construction and handover under one contract, and we carry £10M public and employers' liability cover.
What we do in West Hampstead
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
- Do I need planning permission for a loft conversion in West Hampstead?
- Not always. Many houses outside conservation areas can convert the loft under permitted development, within volume limits, as long as nothing projects beyond the roof slope facing the street. Houses in conservation areas, mansard designs and lofts in flats usually need planning permission.
- Can I extend into the side return of my Victorian terrace?
- Often yes. Side return and rear extensions are among the most popular ways to create a larger kitchen and family room in NW6 terraces. Depending on the size and location, they may fall under permitted development or need planning permission, and they usually involve the Party Wall Act.
- Can I extend a converted flat?
- Flats do not have permitted development rights, so any extension needs planning permission and usually the freeholder's consent, and ground floor flats may need agreement over the garden. We advise on what is realistic before design begins.
- How long does a loft conversion take?
- As a guide, a loft conversion typically takes several months on site after design and approvals, depending on its type and size. Your proposal sets out a programme for your project.
- Do you provide the design as well as the build?
- Yes. As a design and build contractor, we handle design, approvals and construction together, and we can also work with your own architect if you already have one.